Kaine Australis
The Vegemite Enclave
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Post by Kaine Australis on Aug 13, 2023 5:41:24 GMT -8
As he entered the village tavern, Kaine intended to have a quiet drink. He'd hoped, somewhat forlornly, it turned out, to remain anonymous. His helmet's audio pickups caught the whispers as he entered, and he heard his own name more than once. Kad damn it. Then it got worse. There was a band playing in a corner of the tavern, an Ortolan, a Bith and another species he didn't recognize. The Ortolan recognized him, though, alerting his bandmates. A staccato drum beat accompanied by the twang of a string instrument started playing. The Bith crooned. "Your Tihaar is in trouble, Kaine Australis in de room Your Tihaar is in trouble, Kaine Australis in de room"It was a sign of respect, he knew, and of friendly welcome and recognition. Kaine tried hard not to let the attention irritate him. He nodded his helmet in the band's direction, and raised one hand, palm up, as a sort of general greeting to the rest of the patrons. Then he made straight for the bar, as, mercifully, the band segued into a classic old pop tune. The bartender, alerted by the band's shenanigans, had a bottle of tihaar and a mug ready on the bar for the Australis Alor as he arrived at a stool. Deciding not to sit and provide a stationary target for looky-lous and botherers, Kaine poured himself a drink, slipped the bartender a credchit, and turned away from the bar to wander the room. Nobody stopped him, which was the aim of his mobile strategy. He hadn't intended to chat with anyone. A quiet drink. He'd made it halfway around the room when his HUD alerted him to a face in his personal database of people to remember. Kaine was long since past trusting his own memory to these things. A Mandalorian could age, his eyesight dim, hearing fade, and memory slip; but wearing his tech-filled Buy'ce, Kaine had better than perfect vision, advanced hearing, and a computer assisted memory linked to military grade databases. He sure couldn't remember everyone he'd ever met, at least not until his brain was reminded by its technical tools. A nightsister, and a powerful Force user, this one. Pomstychtive. No way to know if that was the woman's true name, but it was what he had. Thoughts of a quiet drink were somewhat regretfully banished as his sense of duty overrode his sense of laziness and debauchery. Kaine approached carefully, holding his mug. Watching for the dangerous recognition and a reaction that might signal immediate personal danger. Kaine sure didn't remember everything in his long life, but he sure remembered everyone that had ever gotten the drop on him, as this one had once. What's a nightsister like you doing in a place like this? He pitched his voice enough to carry to her, and to nobody else in the room. No need to alarm anyone else, or involve them in his business. For now he was mostly powerfully curious. Mistress Pomsty
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Kaine Australis
The Vegemite Enclave
Consuming Copious Coopers
Posts: 1,029
Affiliation: Vegemite and Mandalore
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Post by Kaine Australis on Aug 2, 2023 6:39:21 GMT -8
It had been some time since the Old Boar had returned to Myrkr. He'd been travelling for the better part of a year, on his personal ship the Wild Boar, on a tour of some Mandalorian Coverts in the Outer Rim that didn't like visitors. Making contact with each was a time-consuming and tricky task, and not one he had personally relished, but it was for the good of the Clan, and only one of his stature could even attempt such without being killed out of hand. He was looking forward to some rest and relaxation after months of tense negotiations with people who didn't trust easily, even their own.Kaine set the Wild Boar down outside Hyllyard City, where it was overdue for a maintenance overhaul. He took a speeder away from the populated town and into the wilds of Myrkr, heading for one of the outlying villages. He liked to take some time well away from the Clan, the military tended to overdo the ceremony and political nonsense when he was on their patch. That part of rank he had not missed. He wanted to be just another soldier, but that was long past. He was an elder now, and didn't have to like it.He parked his speeder at the village outskirts, flipping a credcoin to one of the nearby kids, who looked in his early teens, and was staring at the tall Mandalorian in full armour. Don't let the Jawas touch it. Kaine wandered into the village, heading for the tavern. A drink would do nicely just now, and then he could get about his business.Mistress Pomsty
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Kaine Australis
The Vegemite Enclave
Consuming Copious Coopers
Posts: 1,029
Affiliation: Vegemite and Mandalore
Traffic Light: Green
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Post by Kaine Australis on Nov 3, 2022 11:35:34 GMT -8
Interested in how people rank the shows. I haven't seen some, so I can't rate those.
Gold (Original, well written and entertaining) Mandalorian Andor
Silver (Good TV, no complaints) Bad Batch Clone Wars
Bronze (Good visuals, sufficient fanservice, writing is noticeably lacking) Book of Boba Kenobi Tales of the Jedi
I havent seen Resistance or Visions so i can't speak to them.
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Kaine Australis
The Vegemite Enclave
Consuming Copious Coopers
Posts: 1,029
Affiliation: Vegemite and Mandalore
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Post by Kaine Australis on Nov 1, 2022 7:06:18 GMT -8
Wayland
Kaine was just about to respond to the toast when his comm beeped, irritating him when he saw it was from Max, abusing the emergency code as usual. Kaine ignored the beep, knowing Max would only be calling to talk about the hologame Terra Invicta which had been taking up far too much of his time lately. Kaine was idly wondering if Arkan appreciated the poetic irony of a Children of the Watch greeting while refusing, politely and elegantly, to remove his helmet, even among vode. Kaine appreciated the irony, as he did the honesty from a pirate. He returned the toast in the spirit in which it was offered, even if he thought the Children of the Watch were empty helmets.
This is the way.
He took up his own drink and sipped at it this time, knowing what a bastard of a kick it had. He wasn't feeling like wiping himself out too early. They hadn't had time to talk, and being able to talk was required for that. Even with a sip, the drink punched him in the guts like a Force Hadouken, and he held his grimace behind a grin as best he could. Despite the trust he held for Arkan and Nexus, something beyond vode, Kaine didn't want to show any weakness or lose face. When he could, he spoke.
At least you're keeping the helmet on for good reasons, not because of some religious nonsense.
Kaine had had his education in Mandalorian philosophy and culture at the knee of Reyn Skirata. He was eminently practical, and while he respected and honoured traditions, he didn't allow them to bind him or chain him. Kaine had tried to learn from the much wiser Mando'ad, and pass on what he had learned to his kids. He figured he'd done alright, none of them were the sort to do as they were told. They'd all five of them passed their verd'goten, even Marit. By tradition, they'd all completed it age thirteen, save for the youngest, Vevut, who had done it at sixteen, because of circumstances outside his control. Some of them were old enough now that he might become a grandfather, a prospect he didn't relish due to its implications for his own advanced age. The closer he got to retirement, the more he avoided thinking about getting too old. The Byss operation had come about due to this motivation, to busy himself deep inside of a significant military operation, because it would very likely be the last time. He was gladdened by the presence of Arkan and Nexus, though he wasn't drunk enough to tell them so. This battle to which they were moving inexorably towards would be one for the ages, and, like the top shelf booze, he was pleased to share it with very old friends.
Now, before I get too drunk to remember...
Remembering his duties as host, Kaine pressed a couple of buttons on his datapad and activated the room's systems. Preprogrammed holodisplays showed intel feeds from the Deep Core, as well as details of Kaine's forces, air, ground, and space, with everything on show. He wasn't hiding anything up his sleeve from his friends. The displays were to the sides of the room, unobtrusive, for his two guests to study as they liked, or not. He ignored another insistent beep from his private comm, and turned to another wall panel, reaching over to activate the food dispenser. A tray slid up from within the central table, with small nerf and bacon burgers, with a variety of sauces. A basket of hot hubba chips was beside the tray of meaty goodness.
It's good to have you both here. We all know how to fight a war, all that's left to work out is who gets what.
He smiled as he took another sip of his fiery wookiee drink, finishing it off. He knew what the First Order was going to get. A pounding.
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Kaine Australis
The Vegemite Enclave
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Posts: 1,029
Affiliation: Vegemite and Mandalore
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Post by Kaine Australis on Oct 7, 2022 7:58:32 GMT -8
Wayland
The third member of their company entered the Wild Boar's lounge and greeted them as gentlemen. Kaine knew he didn't mean it as an insult, and smiled instead of taking even mock umbrage at the term. Kaine and Nexy had never been described honestly as gentle, despite the friendly and comradely surroundings. The lounge seemed to shrink yet more as the second titanic presence of Arkan joined Nexus in looming larger than life. Kaine noted that his piratey brother did not make any move to take off his helmet as he and Nexus had done.
We've just begun. Nexus brought something that could take the paint off a landspeeder.
He cocked his head at Arkan.
That buy'ce glued on, is it?
Kaine figured that none of the three of them looked worse than he did, having endured a hell of a lot during his sixty four and a bit years, and with him, it showed. Arkan was hardly going to be keeping his face covered out of vanity. It was hard to age gracefully when enemies kept trying to blast, stab and explode you out of the galaxy, and Kaine figured his own face, scarred as it was, was the only one he had. Hiding his identity had long since stopped being a problem.
The old Mando waved to the room, which was large, and deserted but for the three of them. Secure and without benefit of surveillance or supervision. As private as private got in this galaxy.
No cams, no servants, no dancing girls, not even any goons. There's just us three here, ner vod. Feel free to drink without benefit of straw.
He was curious, but not overly so that he'd push the issue. Kaine was just playing, he intended to be a good and gracious host. There was serious business ahead, war was the most serious of businesses. Between the three of them, they'd be flinging their own private armies into the face of the First Order, and they needed to be firmly and solidly on the same side for that endeavour to be a success. Kaine intended to be firmly and solidly drunk before this evening was done.
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Kaine Australis
The Vegemite Enclave
Consuming Copious Coopers
Posts: 1,029
Affiliation: Vegemite and Mandalore
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Post by Kaine Australis on Oct 7, 2022 2:16:04 GMT -8
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Kaine Australis
The Vegemite Enclave
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Posts: 1,029
Affiliation: Vegemite and Mandalore
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Post by Kaine Australis on Oct 3, 2022 3:52:49 GMT -8
Don't feed the Ewoks.
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Kaine Australis
The Vegemite Enclave
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Posts: 1,029
Affiliation: Vegemite and Mandalore
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Post by Kaine Australis on Sept 30, 2022 3:22:40 GMT -8
Wayland
Outside the Wild Boar, none of the Jare'rami'kade bothered Nexus as he approached. They watched, and kept out of his way. They knew that he was coming to see the Old Boar, and that he wasn't to be impeded. They'd be told what they needed to know if they needed to know it. They were professionals, and knew they didn't have to like being kept in the dark.
Kaine nodded and smiled as Nexus entered the Wild Boar's lounge. Though it wasn't a small space, able to seat a couple dozen in comfort, his old friend's presence seemed to fill the area. Though he held great respect for him as a brother, there was also a deep professional regard for the man's achievements. People still talked about what had happened to Csilla, and that said more than any battle record could hope to. He grinned at Nexus.
Too long away from Caz, i have to settle for booze.
While Nexus poured them both some of the Kashyyyk beverage, Kaine admired the armour instead of the hair. Kaine's own was shaved down, with just a moustache left on his face. He looked every bit of his almost sixty five years of hard living. He felt it too, though less so with a few drinks in him.
His friend's armour choice was decidedly not a Mando style, and with Nexus, that was a deliberate choice. Kaine mentally adjusted the chances of the enemy at Byss from slim to bugger all. His old friend was making a statement, one that Kaine understood well unspoken. He accepted the glass with a salute suitably deferential to the quality of the gesture.
Woe and shame to the First Order!
Kaine exclaimed, before taking a long drink of the fire whiskey. Then he went quiet, not by choice, but as the burn started, torching even his experienced throat and gullet like a mustafarian lava flow. Kaine pounded the couch beside him with a fist to try and regain composure as well as express his delight, holding a smile as best he could as his face went red. He nodded appreciably as his breath returned.
Windu's Beard! That's a drink. He cursed happily.
They could drink together and talk of affairs, it would be somewhat impolite to talk business right off the bat, and certainly before their other companion arrived. That would not, however, stop Kaine or Nexus from demolishing the alcoholic beverages as only two warriors could.
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Kaine Australis
The Vegemite Enclave
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Posts: 1,029
Affiliation: Vegemite and Mandalore
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Post by Kaine Australis on Sept 28, 2022 4:05:59 GMT -8
The amount of chewing they do to the furniture! And the rugs! Shredded and if they aren't shredded they are full of fur! There isn't enough ventilation to keep Ewok musk out of the ship! And the food. Kad, they can put away so much food.
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Kaine Australis
The Vegemite Enclave
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Posts: 1,029
Affiliation: Vegemite and Mandalore
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Post by Kaine Australis on Sept 27, 2022 4:46:55 GMT -8
Planet Wayland - Outside Mount Tantiss - Aboard the Wild BoarIt's done.Kaine's whole mood changed upon the receipt of a two word text message from Yomaget, Head of MandalArms, and the man whose life Kaine had been making miserable for the last several months. Immediately a great weight lifted off the Alor's shoulders, as if the last restraints upon him had been removed. Sure, there was still the small matter of a war to be fought, but that wasn't something he was worried about. War he knew.Slowly, a grin began to spread across the Alor's face as he stared at the two words glowing on the data display. Though there was no one there to hear, he was drinking alone, Kaine felt it only right to express his feelings on the matter. Oh, you poor dumb bastards. You're all so terribly fucked now.He'd already delivered his warning, fair play as far as he was concerned. What came next, that was all on them. Already the wheels of industry were in motion, and the long awaited latest generation vessels would be coming off the line at Mandalore. Kaine was not a patient man, and he had little idea of how much work it took for a vessel to go from design to full production. He had some idea of the cost, seeing as he saw all the bills, but the time wasn't something he understood. The wait was finally over. Now, he'd get the chance to use the new toys.
It would not be fair, it would not be reasonable, it would not be restrained. He would make war using all the tools available, until the enemy was destroyed, submitted, or was otherwise rendered incapable of fighting. Though the methods might be refined, the technology advanced or put to new use, war never changed. There was one rule. Win. Kaine hadn't gotten this far by losing wars.
He decided he'd have a cigarra to go with his tihaar. Though he'd never acquired the habit, this was a special occasion. Slowly he got up and went over to a humidor where there was a selection available for guests and visitors. Eschewing a proper lighter, Kaine lit the cigarra with a quick blast from his flame projector. After a few puffs he got it going and blew a cloud of bluish smoke across the cabin, returning to his lounger, drink in hand.
Outside, a few of the commandos were roasting meat over a fire and drinking ale from several barrels. One of them had overheard Kaine, and turned to his fellow. "He's not talking about us, is he?"Bors the Besalisk overheard that, and without taking his eyes from his datapad he spoke in a calm, almost reverential tone, unusual for the usually boisterous Colonel of Jare'rami'kade. "No, lads. He's not talking about us."Bors turned the datapad almost reluctantly to show the holo of the brand new War Pig-class Gunship, which had the specifications and armaments displayed alongside. Several of the commandos whistled like they'd seen a beautiful female, or male.Oya! Said one. The rest began to join in the acclamation. Oya! Oya! OYA!
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Kaine Australis
The Vegemite Enclave
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Affiliation: Vegemite and Mandalore
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Post by Kaine Australis on Sept 25, 2022 6:03:17 GMT -8
Thats fair. I can't think of an example where they have been used that way. I've moved them.
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Kaine Australis
The Vegemite Enclave
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Posts: 1,029
Affiliation: Vegemite and Mandalore
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Post by Kaine Australis on Sept 23, 2022 7:12:21 GMT -8
Hello there. Good to see you ner vod.
I know what you mean about the ewoks...
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Kaine Australis
The Vegemite Enclave
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Posts: 1,029
Affiliation: Vegemite and Mandalore
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Post by Kaine Australis on Sept 20, 2022 5:59:03 GMT -8
Planet Wayland - Mount TantissOverseeing the operations on Wayland was a plethora of skilled and experienced officers of Clan Australis, which allowed the Alor, Kaine, to do what he did best, shirk work in favour of other pursuits. He'd worked hard, to be sure, but he could pull rank and do whatever he wanted, while everyone else had to keep training. Two commanders discussed current events at the Mount Tantiss base, while Kaine went aboard his own ship, the Wild Boar, which was landed nearby.Do you know what the holdup is?I've been told technical problems.Waldorf didn't much like Statler, though they both shared the same cutting wit, they ofttimes directed it at one another, never the way to ensure a lasting friendship. They made quite a pair, and were two of the most well informed in the Clan, being assigned to communications and security respectively, liasing with one another. They saw everything, had access to everything.You know, we could solve all this delay with a proper databank, we could secure all our data, like a bank, our own banks, even. Bank all our data in secure databanks, where we can be sure that we can bank or debank when we need to. All our data in one bank. Waldorf drew his service pistol.Say data, bank, or databank one more time, and I will shoot you. Statler, for once, went silent, at least until Waldorf put away his blaster.
The databank is fine. Just be patient, and say there are technical issues. Waldorf raised an eyebrow.And I don't think debank is a real word. Both of them burst out laughing hysterically, which everyone around them had learned to ignore. Meanwhile, nearby aboard his ship, Kaine prepared rum and whiskey and tihaar for the impending meeting. T his would be a small, high level council, no escorts or other personnel, just the three leaders.
Kaine finished unpacking the old, rare and expensive booze, set up in the spacious and comfortable executive lounge aboard his personal ship. Outside the ship were commandos and other forces going about their business. There was food and drink there for any escorts that Kaine's vode brought with them. But only the bosses would get the really good expensive stuff. That was only right and proper. Once he was done preparing, Kaine sent a private encoded transmission to Lord Nexus and Bloodrage Pirates to meet him aboard his landed ship at their first convenience, adding that drinks were on him. Then he opened a small bottle for himself and sat down in a comfortable lounger to wait.
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Kaine Australis
The Vegemite Enclave
Consuming Copious Coopers
Posts: 1,029
Affiliation: Vegemite and Mandalore
Traffic Light: Green
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Post by Kaine Australis on Sept 1, 2022 5:19:30 GMT -8
Wayland - Australis Space, near MyrkrThe Australis Alor had been best pleased by the efforts put in across the board by those exercising on Wayland in preparation for the Byss operation. From the Foreign Legion all the way through the ranks to the Commando generals, everyone had busted their ass to train hard, and give their very best effort. The Alor had in recognition of this given the troops a day off, to recover or recreate as they felt appropriate. Some chose to train, others to sleep, others to hunt or watch bolo-ball on the HoloNET. Kaine sat with a few hundred others watching a battle circle.
The mood was good humoured, the battle circle was an ancient tradition, a way to train, to test one another, and to settle disputes. The rules were simple but flexible, allowing for a challenger or the challenged to name terms as they saw fit. With the relaxed mood of the troops, all of today's bouts had been bareknuckle boxing matches, everyone enjoyed unarmed combat, and there was less chance of wounding or injury to the combatants. Anyone could challenge anyone present, and so a young Redback shooter named Flint had challenged Kaine himself. This was a little unorthodox, as it was unspoken that the Alor was above being challenged. Kaine would have been well within right and custom to refuse or laugh the challenge off, but instead the old Boar stood up, to raucous cheers and good natured jibes and jeers.
Saphi the Ryn did duty taping Kaine's fists for him, while the younger fighter got into the circle and began stretching. Kaine watched without seeming to watch, judging and analyzing his opponent. The kid was strong, quick, and fourty years his junior. He did seem cocky and confident, and Kaine could use that. Soon enough, smiling at the senior commandos, his closest friends who were booing him, and flipping them a one fingered salute, Kaine joined Flint inside the battle circle. Unspoken agreement left the rules in place that one of them must submit or be rendered unable to continue. "Fight!" Shouted Bronzi, Flint's Captain, who was referee, then the portly Redback got out of the way quite quickly for one of his bulk.The fight began poorly for Kaine. Experienced as he was, he was unprepared for the speed and strength and vigour with which Flint came at him. Punishing blows to the head area were blocked, though Kaine's arms ached with each one he blocked. Too slow to react, he took a snap kick to the ribs, hard. Before he could recover, Flint moved in and rained blows on him so fast that one connected hard, and put Kaine to the ground. Instinctively the old Boar rolled and recovered, tasting blood. He was up before Flint could take him down again, and continued to defend, unable to find a way through the younger man's power and speed.
The younger Mando continued to pound away, at head and ribs, as Kaine blocked and steeled himself as each impact drove him further back. He successfully blocked a left and right combination to his lower half, but wasn't fast enough to raise his guard, taking another left and right, left to the ear which rang his head, and a right to the jaw that knocked him silly. That last one wasn't something Kaine wished to experience twice, unsure that he'd survive the impact. But he wasn't down yet. He squinted, and rocked just slightly, trying to seem more out of it than he was. Flint launched another right hand rocket, and this time Kaine deflected it, shooting out a right hand of his own, palm up, landing on Flint's nose and upper lip. The blow snapped the younger man's head right back, and he went over on his backside.Kaine looked down at him, knowing that ploy wouldn't work twice. He'd just taught the younger man a lesson, and he saw in Flint's eyes that the lesson had been learned. The Redback got to his feet and advanced on his Alor, this time more wary than before. Unfortunately for Kaine, he'd lost none of his speed and power, and the Alor took more punishment, mitigating it where he could, avoiding it where possible, absorbing it as best he could. Both men were tiring, though Kaine suspected he felt it more than his opponent. Their eyes met again, and Kaine read Flint's intention; a bull rush to take Kaine down and finish him. Kaine had one chance, Flint could overpower him, and would if he didn't make this work.The younger man charged the older, and they went down, Kaine's arms whipping like snakes as they came together, not to fend off the attack, but to ensnare Flint's head and neck. From his back, Kaine lifted his right leg into Flint's throat, while his hands, and left leg went around the back of the other man's head and shoulders respectively. The Alor used his entire body to trap Flint's head, and from here both of Flint's arms were out of position to strike at Kaine. Held firm, the young commando couldn't move, and an increase in pressure by Kaine would cut off his blood and air supply. They both knew it was over, and Flint honourably tapped the ground thrice in submission, whereby Kaine broke the hold and rolled clear.
The two men got to their feet and exchanged a handshake after the bout, with some scattered applause from the watching Mando'ade. Kaine was sweating buckets, and bleeding from the lip, and he was discouraged by how unaffected the younger man was so soon after the fight. Oh to be young again, he thought. Almost sixty five, he really was getting too old for this. Still, he could yet fight, and while he could, he would. Someone pressed a cold ale into his hand, and Kaine took it gratefully, spilling ale and foam as he took a long drink and found a seat. Hands patted him on the back, while he took his place among he spectators, and another fight began in the battle circle.
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Kaine Australis
The Vegemite Enclave
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Post by Kaine Australis on Aug 29, 2022 8:30:07 GMT -8
Wayland - Australis Space, Near MyrkrWayland Space was beginning to recieve more visitors in a week than it usually saw in a year. With the allies beginning to arrive, another group of Australis vessels came in, two Acclamator assault ships, and two Hodasal-class freighters. These four also made for the planet where they would land and disgorge LAAT gunships and ground vehicles including tanks and war droids, as well as more large battle droids. Behind the ships came a pair of Golan-III battlestations, riding their single-use hyperdrive into position in the Wayland system. One took a position in deep space well beyond the planet, while the second moved into a high geostationary orbit. Thus both simulated the positions of the hostile stations the allies would face in the Byss system.Down on the surface, the Commandos and Legionaries continued their exercises under the watchful supervision of the Clan's AI, and observations of Kaine, who was wandering the jungles and forests. While the battles were simulated between the Opfor of the Foreign Legion and the Commandos of the Byss Assault Force, there had been casualties, and several deaths. The troops used simulated fire, and all artillery was likewise simulated. There were still heavy weapon discharges, such as those from the Carnifex to clear terrain for the Commando force, and flash mines and concussion explosions. There was some isolated melee combat, which produced the bulk of the minor injuries. Once the Commandos had successfully defended their beachhead and survived enough times, Kaine called a temporary halt for the next set of exercises.At Mount Tantiss, a reserve force of Legionaries began to assemble in great numbers, having come in aboard the Acclamators. They formed up in infantry and armored units, supported by tanks. Fire support for their force was heavy, with artillery and gunships to work in close conjunction with the advancing units. Some of the Legion augmented the Mountain's small but elite garrison, while the remainder continued to prepare for their part in the exercises to come.Through the battle network, all the Clan's forces had been notified that allies would be joining them on Wayland for training purposes. This steeled the hearts of many who had assumed the Clan would be going at Byss alone. Though there was no word yet if the Mando'ade would exercise with the allied forces, or not, word of the potential and possibility was rife among the troops from Foreign Legion to Copad Legion to Commandos. Even among the high officers at the command level, there was much conjecture as to the possibilites for the preparations and for the assault itself which was to come. Kaine, meanwhile, had found some of his Jare'rami'kade, who had already set up several ale kegs and a barbeque which was searing local boar meat. The supercommandos had no issue with eating their own emblem. The Alor joined them for food and drink and rest. The mood was far more subdued than the raucous celebrations on Manda'yaim, partly due to how tired the Commandos were, but also because everyone was taking the training deadly seriously. As Wayland's forests and jungles went dark under a starry sky, the Mandalorians sat around cookfires and took their rest before another day of slugging it out.
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Kaine Australis
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Post by Kaine Australis on Aug 25, 2022 4:26:03 GMT -8
Wayland - Australis Space, Near Myrkr After several tough days of landing practice, Kaine moved the exercise timetable up. The crew of the Carnifex and the commandos had just about optimized their approach and landing, and there was little to be gained in making them repeat a process they had displayed mastery of. The ship moved up to orbit, leaving the ground force in place. From here the Commandos would play out a standard King of the Hill exercise, defending their position against the Opposing Force.
Because of the uncertainty of the air and space situation, the exercise assumed that the skies would be neutral at best, with friendly airpower and enemy airpower effectively cancelling one another out. For the real operation, the Mandalorians were bringing plenty of anti air units which would hopefully let them establish at least a small no fly zone. This exercise would be limited to ground combat, and not an easy task for the outnumbered commando force.Kaine observed from a distance as the ground forces made up of the Foreign Legion assaulted the Commandos again and again. With each engagement, they found less and less success as the experienced veterans of the Commando corps began to work together and maximize their own advantages against their opponents. Time and again the heavy vehicles and walkers of the OpFor would be stalled by missile teams. When the enemy infantry advanced to clear the way, they ran into ambushes by teams of commandos, which then pulled back.
The strategy being employed by the commandos was as old as time, maximizing enemy casualties while preserving as much of their own strength as possible. Each exercise improved the results for the Commandos, save for one which they lost. An infantry unit distinguished itself by managing to penetrate the perimiter and destroy the shield generator protecting the base. This allowed OpFor artillery to rain destruction and cause enough casualties to rack up a win. The commandos were chastened by the defeat, and again regrouped and reorganized to prevent a repeat of the somewhat miraculous penetration of their defences.Watching his people work, Kaine began to feel more confident that they could really pull off the ambitious task that he'd set them. Despite the AI in command of the Opposing Force throwing every trick and surprise it could, with the advantage of overwhelming numbers and firepower, the Commandos endured, adapted, improvised, and improved each time. The Foreign Legion fought well for regular troops, enduring the mostly one-sided fight with good humour. Kaine began organizing a feast for the troops for the end of the week, deciding that they'd all earned it.
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Kaine Australis
The Vegemite Enclave
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Post by Kaine Australis on Aug 24, 2022 3:59:52 GMT -8
Wayland - Australis Space, Near MyrkrWayland was beginning to show the signs of wear and tear as the second full day of exercises continued. Each landing and beachhead attempt destroyed acres of forest and set fires and tore up the ground with explosions and blasts, as the commandos deployed firepower in their simulated assault attempts. By the second day, the opposing force, made up of Foreign Legion in their thousands, were getting their own work in.
The opposing force had been outfitted with AT-ATs and AT-STs as well as E-web repeating blasters to augment their infantry, of which they had about fifteen thousand. Not all of them were engaged at once, of course, with the foreign legionaries needing to rest in between exercises, unlike the Commandos they faced, who only got to rest in between restarts. Each exercise had to move to a different area of the planet, which was left in ruins by the expenditure of turbolaser blasts and explosives.Kaine's shuttle arrived in orbit as Carnifex rose up for a restart of the exercies. T oday's score was four successes in a row for the attackers. Carnifex's crew were by now comfortable with diving into the atmosphere, and the commandos had adapted to the quick drop and beachhead assault well. The shuttle docked with the Destroyer, and the Field Marshal went among his troops for the next exercise.Unfortunately for Kaine, he was one of the first simulated killed during the descent, taken out by a turbolaser blast from the ground along with a dozen others. He crossed his arms in a harrumph, as the other Commandos chuckled and guffawed at his misfortune. Soon enough though, the ship achieved its stable low altitude, and the holds emptied of personnel and cargo at a speed that astonished the Alor. Left behind with the other dead, Kaine shrugged, and though he wouldn't interfere, decided he wanted a better view, and leapt out of an open hatch to watch from the ground.Unfortunately for the Commandos, this exercise the AI had changed its tactics once more, deploying some as yet unseen Clone Wars era battle droids on the side of the defenders, augmenting their infantry, which seemed endless to the commandos who numbered in the hundreds. The few tanks and the support fire from the Carnifex weren't enough to hold back the tide, as the beachhead was assaulted from three directions by columns of heavy walkers, while two infantry formations enveloped the area, with huge droids among them.
The commandos had successfully deployed their prefabricated base, and the Carnifex had successfully blasted out dead ground all around, the lines were unable to hold. The heavy weapons of the defenders were too much once they penetrated the shields, and casualties mounted quickly. The exercise was ended soon after, with a win for the defenders. The first of the day, breaking the winning streak of the commandos, and giving them a new enemy approach to consider. Failure was a good teacher, and the commandos of Clan Australis were all good students of the arts of war.Kaine left the commandos in reboarding for another try. While the ten companies and their equipment were restocked aboard the Destroyer, which would then climb back to orbit for a new descent, the Alor went off into the jungle to join the opposing forces. He'd be an observer rather than participating himself, and was able to follow the entire battlespace via an uplink to the Clan's AI in his helmet HUD. Wandering through the jungle, he moved between Foreign Legion units and battle droids, all redeploying to the next exercise zone a dozen kilometers to the north.
The next exercise would begin, and another area of Wayland's otherwise pristine surface would be torn apart and blasted to ruin in the name of training.
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Kaine Australis
The Vegemite Enclave
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Post by Kaine Australis on Aug 23, 2022 3:16:49 GMT -8
Wayland - Australis Space, near MyrkrClan Australis's homeworld of Myrkr was a reasonably quiet world, with some trade moving in and out of the system, as well as the military traffic of Clan Australis. A stone's throw away in galactic terms was Wayland, with little population, most of which was low-tech primitive tribes. It made for a quiet out of the way world for the Clan, which maintained a storehouse at Mount Tantiss, and, occasionally, such as today, a world to practice away from prying eyes.The Warlock-Class ship Carnifex was in orbit, along with her full crew, and a thousand Australis commandos. They were there to simulate the Byss operation from atmospheric entry to landing and the establishment of a beachhead on the surface. These were their primary objectives. First, they had to master the difficult descent, which would undoubtedly come under enemy fire. The first two attempts at entry were aborted, a failing grade, but not willing to risk a crash, they had to make an emergency ascent and restart the operation. The third attempt went better, and the Carnifex came safely and somewhat stably to a low altitude which it managed to maintain at around five hundred meters. Simulated ground fire and enemy fleet fire was calculated by the Clan's AI; BOO, which communicated hits and casualties over the Clan's battle link.The third attempt was also the first to successfully get troops onto the ground in numbers and to establish a beachhead. Ground vehicles and shield generators were successfully deployed and some clear ground marked out for a landing zone. The attempt also ended in a failure, however, as a simulated First Order counterattack successfully overran the landing zone. Simulated casualties were high as the ship came under renewed attack and the survivors were driven out and scattered. Grimly, the troops restarted the operation for a fourth attempt. They would keep going until they could get it right. There was little point to embarking on an operation for which they had not practiced over and over. The Carnifex's crew improved each time they made the descent, getting used to how their ship behaved under the atmospheric punishment they took her through. The commandos too, quickly adapted to the challenge, finding ways to save time and effort. The AI gave them no quarter, changing its own tactics and approach each time to further challenge the warriors of the Clan.
By the end of that first day of exercises, the troops had made seven attempts, of which four made landings, and two established a defended beachhead while avoiding mass casualties. Two wins from seven was not acceptable, but for the first day it was a pleasing result. Day two beckoned, with the challenge now becoming familiar, the troops and pilots adapting each time, improving, and becoming more prepared for what was to come.
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Kaine Australis
The Vegemite Enclave
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Post by Kaine Australis on Aug 23, 2022 2:35:34 GMT -8
Gordo nodded solemnly at Galaar's promise. He didn't expect the Fetts to let their new ship down, and the Alor-Class would never let them down. She was a tough ship, with extensive firepower at her command. Really more of a mobile battlestation than a star destroyer, she could lead a battle line or tear apart a blockade with equal ease.
Function over form, Alor.
Said Gordo, standing beside the holotable. From here a small command crew could oversee the ship's operations, though the command center could suit many more at need. The ship was built with multiple backups of everything, to make her harder to disable and destroy.
She's not fast or agile, but she'll punch above her weight class, and she can absorb a colossal amount of punishment without ever letting you down.
He had already accepted a position aboard the sister ship Australis, now already in service with his Clan's space forces. Perhaps one day he'd rise to a true command, having shown his worth as both caretaker and diplomatic envoy. Gordo mused on this while he watched the Fetts look over their new ship.
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Kaine Australis
The Vegemite Enclave
Consuming Copious Coopers
Posts: 1,029
Affiliation: Vegemite and Mandalore
Traffic Light: Green
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Post by Kaine Australis on Aug 22, 2022 3:25:35 GMT -8
::Katsumi Ren...:: said Kaine, testing how the name sounded, even as he admired the cool looking onyx skull mask the other wore. He was about to make a smartass speech full of bombast, when he accidentally leaned on the cutoff switch for the holocomm. He didn't notice, and figured that the Ren had ended the transmission. Instead, his uniformed image faded out after speaking the Ren's name, ending the relayed transmission.
Assuming that the enemy had cut communications, Kaine didn't try to reestablish the connection, but left to prepare for the fight which was to come. The time for talk was over, and the time of fire and blood was about to begin. Clan Australis was coming.
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